Preventing Cardiovascular Disease

November 7, 2018

I met with HEART UK in Parliament at the launch of their report into cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its effect on the UK.

CVD is responsible for 160,000 deaths across the UK every year, that’s a quarter of all deaths across the UK. It’s also one of the leading causes of premature death with 40,000 people dying prematurely from CVD annually.

I learnt about how you can prevent CVD by making sure your cholesterol levels are healthy and what cholesterol does. I had a quick and easy blood test to test my level tested and got advice about diet and exercise to help me reduce my cholesterol level.

The Welsh Labour Government has invested heavily in improving CVD care in Wales. Between and 2010 and 2015, hospital admissions for coronary heart failure fell by 21% and the number of people dying from CVD in Wales each year fell by 1,000. This is why, in 2017, the British Heart Foundation hailed Wales as a “world leader in cardiac rehabilitation”.